Switch-actuating mechanism.



y Patented may 22, |900. s. NAfsH. SWITCH AGTUATING MEQHANISM;

(Application led Sept. 18, 1899.)

(N0 Mariah)4 YLL/ 111 1 arri.; JVVEJVTOR.

Il" JM M ./ttorney UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL NAsI-I, on DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SWITCH-ACTUATlNG M EC HANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,092, dated May 22, 1900.

Application led September 18, 1899. Serial No, 730,826. (No model.) 4

To all wiz/m t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL NASH, a. ci! izen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switch-Actnating Mechanism; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,`refer ence being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide asWitch-actuatin g mechanism embodying various novel features, said mechanism being adapted .and designed for actuating switches' on railways, and more particularly for streetrailways; and the same consists of the mechanism hereinafter described, illustrated in Athe accompanying drawings, and herewith claimed.

Inythe drawings, Figure l is a plan View embodying features of the invention with portions removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing parts in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view, certain parts being removed. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a View of certain parts in side elevation, showing parts in vertical section. Fig. 6 is a plan view of portions of the device. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the actuating device attached to a moving car.

The object of the invention is to provide switch-actuating mechanism of superior economy, utility, and efficiency which shall be positive in its action and which may be readily and conveniently actuated by a motorman or driver on a car whenever circumstances may require, the device not being liable to get out of order.

The invention is more specifically an improvement upon mechanism of this character embodied in Letters Patent of the United States No. 601,858, issued April 5, 1898.

` In carrying ont my invention as illustrated in the drawings a railway-rail is illustrated at a., and a horizontally-oscillatory switchpoint of ordinary construction and arrangement is indicated at b. The switch-point is actuated by means of a connecting-rod c, said rod being connected at the end opposite the switch-point with an oscillatory lever d. The

lever d is actuated by means of a reciprocatory slide e, sliding in any suitable yways f. Connected with the `slide is a laterally-oscillatory dog g, fulcrumed to the slide, as indicated at h, the dog being constructed with two oppositely-projecting shoulders, (indicated by the numerals l and 2,) said shoulders each formed with corresponding recesses (indicated at- 3 and 4) on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the dog to engage corresponding lugs or spurs 5 and 6 upon the lever d, said lugs or spurs being located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of said lever.

The waysf may be formed in a supportingblock, (indicated att.) The supporting-block t' preferably has a rabbeted engagement with a base-plate or bottom of a box or inclosing case, (indicated at j.) The block e' may be lh eld in the case j in any suitable manner, as

dog will be midway between said shoulders and bringing the recesses 3 4 equidistant from the longitudinal center of the slide e.

In the patent above referred to the oscillatory lever was fulcrnmed on a separate snpportand was located forward of the dog and facing the dog. My present invention, however, contemplates locating said oscillatory lever d immediately above the dog and upon the support of the dog, the dog havinga sliding and laterally-'oscillatory movement beneath said lever and between the lever and the su pport 7l. The lever in the present case is fulcru med upon a cover or plate n, which may be fastened upon the support e' in any suitable manner, as by set-screws p. The inclosin g case j' is provided with a cover-plate, located above the oscillatory lever, as shown inFig. 2, said plate being omitted in Fig. l and also in Figs. 3 and 4. By this arrangement of the dog and the oscillatory lever relative the one to the other I am enabled to assemble the partsin a much more compact manner, securing thereby a very considerable amount of economy in the construction, as owing to .the much more compact arrangement of the parts a much smaller inclosing .case is requiredtherefor. Moreover, by such aconstruction and arrangement there is no longer any necessity of slottiug the slide e, as only a bracket q is required to support one end of the slide e.

' To retract the slide e, said slide is constructed with laterally-projecting arms or a cross-bar, (indicated at n) preferably terminating with hooks at their extremities, with which are connected corresponding sprin gs s, which springs by this construction are located at. the sides of the support z', between said support and the side walls of the inclosing case and all within said case. This location of the springs also very much simplities the construction and arrangement of the device, inasmuch as the springs so located are easily got at by simply removing the cover of the case, and it is unnecessary to remove any of the parts to get at said springs other than the cover of the case. I prefer also to connect the connecting-rod c with the lever d by means of a movable blockt, made block held in place in any suitable manner, as by a set-screw o. In this manner the adjustment of the throw of the switch-point can readily be made, and it is unnecessary to move any parts of the mechanism to secure such adjustment.

Y With the slide eis connected a connectingrod w, which may pass through a suitable covering or case a; underground for a suitable distance, said connectingrod being provided shaped slot 12 and suitably connected with thejrod fw, as indicated at 11. It will be understood thatthe rod w will be carried along the track a sufficient distance to enable the driveror motorman on the car to cause the switch to be thrown in proper season.

,4 complish the movement of the slide e through thecase-may be.

9, fulcrumed, as at 10, to the side of an inclosing case 13, as shown, said lever being suitably engaged with the link 7, as by a pivotpin 21.

If it is desired to connect with this apparatus -a signaling device located, for example, on'the curb, any ordinary signaling device (not shown) may be connected with the lever abby-means of the connecting-rod 19.

The movement of the corresponding rod 19 with the-signaling device will of course show the p'osltlon of the switch-point.

As fully pointed out in the patent referredV to,v whenever the switch-point is actuated either to open or close the switch the lever d will occupy Va corresponding position, carrying the lugshl and 6 either towardor away from the longitudinal center of the lever, as

As described in said patent,-the lugs or pins 5 6 of the lever and the recesses-'3 .4 of said dog are so located and arranged with relation toY each other that when the switch-point'is open one ofthe vrecesses.

To acof the dog will engage one of the lugs or pins of the lever whenk the slide e is drawn, and when the switch-point is thrown in the opposite direction the other of said recesses will engage the other of said lugs or pins on the lever, one recess o'f the dog only being engageable on a movement of the slide with one of the lugs or pins of the lever. Which recess of the dog shall engage with the corresponding lug of the'lever depends entirely upon the location of the switch-point. It

vwill beA observed that whatever may be the location of the switch-point the operation of the blade e and the corresponding actuation of the dog engaging a corresponding pin or lug of the lever will move the switch into the opposite direction. Thus if the switch be open a movement of the slide causing the dog to engage the lever will close the switch, 4and vice versa. 'i slide c will always throw the switch-point into the contrary position from that occupied when i, the slide is actuated. movable .in ways w upon said lever, said Thus a movement of the The case 13 is slotted at the top thereof to permity the upper edge of the lever 9 to prol ject therethrough,.as shown at 14, the upper edge ot' said lever being prolonged a required i distance and also weighted at the portion l thereof opposite the connection of the r'od tu therewith,V so that said lever will be automatically restored to normal position. l mally the upper edge of the lever 9 is ush with the upper surface of the case 13, but is 1 arranged so that the corner thereof (indicated with a link 7 at the end opposite the'slide e,- saidlink being formed with or without an arc- Norat 22) may be tilted upward when said lever is correspondingly tilted upon its fulcrum, the'said lever being upwardly tilted thus so that a suitable device attached to the moving car may engage the upturned edge or end of i said lever to give to the lever a further 1 throw in order to actuate the rod w,.the initial i upturning of the lever 9 being simply sufficient to enable the device upon the moving the movement of the rod w, I provide a lever" car to engage therewith, the said initial movement of the lever otherwise than for this vpurpose being an idle movement so far as other parts of the device are concerned, said movement not'being sufficient to actuate the rod w. To eifect this initial movement of the lever 9, a lever 14 is provided, suitably fulcrumed, as at l5, in the case 13. A portion of this lever projects through a corresponding oriice 16 in said case, the upper end of the lever being preferably disk-shaped, with a normally-upstanding shoulder 17 and a horizontal portion 18, normally flush with the top of the case, the shoulder 17 projecting thereabove. The lever is provided with a weighted arm 27 to restore it to normal position and with a downwardly projecting arm 20, arranged to contact with the pin or other suit- 'able device (indicated at 2l) attached to the adjacent end of the lever 9, the construction being such that when the lever 141s suitably vtilted the arm 20, contacting with said pin,

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able device upon a moving car. Such a def' vice is indicated in Fig. 7 and may consist of a bell-crank 23, secured to the car, the lower end being constructed with a loop 24 to enl tilted by the driver of the car, it is designed rst to cont-act with the upper surface of the case 13 and to scrape across the upper edge of the lever 9, clearing it from any snow or dirt until it shall strike the shoulder 17, thereby tilting the lever 14 and throwing the lever 9 up into the loop. As the car is moving the loop will thus engage the uptilted lever 9 and give to said lever a further tilting movement sufficient to operate the rod w. I prefer that the case 13 should be provided with a shoulder 25 adjacent to the upwardly-projecting edge of the lever ll, said shoulder forming a backing for the upwardly-projecting portion of said lever and serving also as a scraper to clear the adjacent portion of said lever from dirt as it is being tilted. It will beapparent that with such a device whenever the car passes over or past the tripping mechanism should it not be desired to throw the switch the driver will of course not throw down the actuating or tripping lever. The case 13, with the related portions of the mechanism connected therewith, may be located at any desired point between the rails and it will be seen is entirely separate and distinct from the rails, and thus does not require any alteration of the ordinary rails in use, thereby efecting a very great saving in the application of the device. Should any vehicle pass over the shoulder 17 and trip it, it willbe apparent that owing to the lost motion alforded by the link, as above described, there will be no movement of the rod/w. The free motion permitted by said link without operating the rod fw thereby saves a considerable amount of wear and tear upon the parts that would otherwise be liable to be frequently operated, n

inasmuch as said link permits a certain amount of free movement before said connecting-rod will be operated.

The bottom of the ease may be provided with an opening 26, beneath which may be sunk a piece of tubing or well to receive any drainage from the case 13.

'It is obvious that the construction above described simplifies the mechanism and ecoliomizes the cost of construction, at the same time saving the wear of the mechanism, and thereby rendering it more durable.

My invention contemplates not onlya link, slotted or otherwise for the purpose described, but any suitable means to actuate the slide havingafree movement for adesired distance without actuating the slide.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, of a lever connected therewith,a reci procatory slide provided with an actuating device to engage said lever and throw the switch-point, and means to actuate said slide, said lever and said actuating device located the one above the other, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, of an oscillatory lever connected therewith, a reciprocatory slide, a dog mounted thereupon to engage said lever and throw the switch-point into opposite direction from that occupied, and means to actuate said slide, said lever located above said dog, substantially as set forth.

3. ln a switch actuating mechanism, the

support within the box, a slide reciprocatory in said support,a dog mounted upon said slide, an oscillatory lever having a fixed fulcrum on said support, and means actuated bya moving car to actuate said slide, substantially as set forth. v 4. In a switchactuating mechanism, the combination with a switclrpoint, of an oscillatory lever connected therewith, a reciproeatory slide provided with an actuatingde vice to engage said leveraud throw the switchpoint, means to actuate said slide, and a signalin g-bar connected with said lever,substan tially as set forth.

5. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, of an oscillatory lever connected therewith, a slide provided with an actuating device to engage said lever and throw the s\vitch-point, and means actuated by a moving car at a point distant from the switch-point to actuate said slide, the means to actuate the slide having a free movement for a desired distance without actuating the slide, substantially as set forth.

6. In a railway-switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, an oscillatory lever, a device connecting the switch-point with the lever, a reciprocatory and oscillatorydevice to engage said lever to throw the lever and actuate the switch-point, a slide to actuate said device,alinkconnect ed with said slide, and mechanism actuated by a moving car connected with said link to reciprocate the slide, said mechanism arranged to have a free movement for a desired distance without actuating said slide, substantially as set forth.

7. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, of a hoiizontally-oscillatory lever, a connecting-rod to IOO IOS

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connect the lever with the switch-point having an adjustable connection with the lever, and means to actuate said lever, the lever and the means to actuate the lever located the one above the other, substantially as setforth.`

S. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the

8o combination with a switch-point, of a box, a

nected with the extremities of said cross-bar j 9.111' a switch actuating mechanism, the

` combination with a switch-point, an inclosi'ng case, a support within said case, vaslide fre.-

cip-rocatoryA :in said support, an oscillatory dog carried by said slide, an oscillatory lever actuated yby said dog, a connecting-bar connecting said lever with said point, across-bar connected withsaid slide, and springs conlocated at the sides of the support, and means ytoactua-te said slide,substantially as set forth.

lO. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the

' combination with a' switch-point, a horizontally-oscillatory lever, means to actuat'e said lever, a connecting-bar connected with said switcl1point,and a slide having an adjustable engagement with the-lever, said connect-v ing-bar at the end opposite the switch-point connected with said slide, the lever and the means to actuate the lever located one abov the other, substantially as set forth. 1 Y

Y combination with a switch-point, of a horizon-` 11. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the

tally-oscillatory lever connected therewith, a slide provided with an actuating device to engage and operate said lever, a tilting lever,

a,link connecting said tilting lever with said slide, an operating-lever to actuateV the tilting lever, and means actuated by a movingcarto actuate saidoperating-lever, said .tilting lever having a free movement for a desired distance, substantially asset forth.

`l2.- In a switch-actuating mechanism, the

combination with a switch-point, of a slide,

means to throw the switch-point into opposite l direction from that occupied actuatedby-said slide, a link connected with said slide, a tilt- Y ing lever connected with said link to actuate said slide, an operating-lever provided with an upwardly-projecting lug or shoulder and arranged to actuatesaid tilting lever, the tilt' ing leverA having a free movement for a desired dist-ance, and arranged to be actuated by a moving ear by a suitable device upon a moving car to throw the switch-point, subcombination with a switch-point, of an oscillatory lever to actuate said point, a reciprocatory slide, an oscillatory dogl carried by v said slide' vto 4actuate saidlever, an'd means actuated by a lnziovingcm to actuate the slide, the means to actuate the slide having a'free movement for a desired distance without acan operatingdevice on a moving car arranged v to actuate said tilting lever and throw it into operative posi tion,:substantially asset forth. 16. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the

combination with a switch-point, of means to throw the switch provided with a connectingrod, a tilting lever connected with said rod, an operating -lever provided with an upwardly-projectinglug or shoulder to engage an operating device on a moving car arranged to actuate said tilting lever, said tilting lever having `a free movement for a desired distance before actuating said connecting-rod, substantially as described.

17. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, means to actuate the switch-point provided witha connecting-rod, a tilting lever having'a link connection with said'connecting-rod, an operating-lever to actuate the tilting lever, a case `inwhich the tilting lever and operating-lever are located, said operating-lever normally projecting upwardly abovev said case, and the tilting lever projecting normallyush with thcupper face of the case, substantially as .and for the lpurpose described.

18. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point, a horizontally-oscillatory lever connected therewith, a slide provided with an actuating device to engage and operate said oscillatory lever, and with a connecting-rod, a'tilting lever having a link connection with said connecting-rod, an operating-lever to actuate the tilting lever, a case in which the tilting lever and operating-lever are located,said.operating-lever normally projecting upwardly above said case, and the 'tilting ylever projecting normally ilushwith the'upper face of the case, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in thefpresence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL NASH.

Witnesses N. SToUGH'r, M. HIoKEY.

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